Growing voice: Insights from children's experiences of student voice practices in primary PE

Despite growing research highlighting the value of student voice practices (SVPs) in enhancing engagement and enriching children's learning experiences, SVPs remain uncommon in primary physical education (PE) ( Iannucci and Parker, 2022a ). The purpose of this research was to gain insight into children's experiences of SVPs in primary PE, offering insight into how SVPs can be integrated into regular PE practice. A multi-site qualitative case study design was adopted. Over a period of five months, seven primary teachers in Ireland were supported in learning about and enacting SVPs in their PE practice. Children in their classes ( n = 120) were actively involved and invited to reflect on their experiences of SVPs throughout the project. Data sources included webinar presentations ( n = 6), a semi-structured interview with teachers ( n = 2 participants), children's workbooks ( n = 120), and blog posts co-authored by teachers and children ( n = 6). A reflexive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data ( Braun and Clarke, 2021 ). Findings show how children used SVPs to share their experiences, articulate their preferences, and suggest changes to future PE lessons. Children reportedly valued sharing their voices and recognised the positive influence SVPs had on their participation in PE. Based on their own lived experiences, children came to recommend the wider implementation of SVPs by others. The findings make a compelling case for the adoption of SVPs as part of regular PE practice, while offering practical direction for enactment.